3 Palestinians arrested on suspicion of torching a Christmas tree at a Catholic church in West Bank
Palestinian Authority police said three Palestinians were arrested in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Jenin on suspicion of setting fire to a Christmas tree and damaging part of the Nativity scene in the Catholic Church.
Police said in a statement late Wednesday that the arrests were made after reviewing surveillance footage. Police said the suspects seized tools they believed were used in the attack and condemned the apparent attempt to incite sectarian and religious tensions in the West Bank.
The Church of the Holy Redeemer in Jenin posted photos of the arson on social media; The skeleton of a synthetic Christmas tree with its green plastic branches removed, red and gold ornaments strewn across the yard. The church said the attack occurred around 03:00 on Monday and also damaged part of the Nativity scene.
The church quickly cleaned up the burned tree and put up a new Christmas tree a day later, in time for Advent Mass. The church held a special ceremony with the participation of local Muslim and Christian leaders and politicians. The local priest of the church, Reverend Amer Jubran, said that the burning incident was an isolated incident and emphasized the unity of the city.
“This incident reaffirmed that attempts to damage religious symbols will never diminish the spirit of the city or the faith of its people,” the Church of the Holy Redeemer said in a statement. he said. The church did not respond to requests for additional comment.
The small Christian community in the West Bank faces increasing extremism threats from many sides, including both Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists. causes them to leave the area in flocks.
Christians make up 1% to 2% of the West Bank’s approximately 3 million residents, the vast majority of whom are Muslims. Christian population across the wider Middle East decreased steadily like people have fled the conflict and attacks.
Israel, whose founding declaration includes freedom of religion and the protection of all holy places, sees itself as an island of religious tolerance in an unstable region. But some church officials and monitoring groups lament the recent increase. Anti-Christian sentiment and harassmentespecially in the Old City of Jerusalem. Extremist Israeli settlers also destroyed and burned areas around churches and Christian villages.
Israel-Hamas war in Gaza ignited a spark Wave of violence in the West BankThe Israeli army’s targeting of militants in large-scale operations that killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands of people. This coincided with an increase in settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Palestinian militants attacked and killed Israelis in Israel and the West Bank.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war. The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority has limited autonomy over parts of the region, including the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank, known as a militant stronghold.
